A conventional vehicle includes a sliding passenger door. A first electromechanical actuators provided to facilitate opening and closing of the sliding passenger door. A first control device (e.g., a handle) is provided within the vehicle to facilitate operation of the first electromechanical actuator by a passenger within the vehicle, and thus to facilitate control of the sliding passenger door by the passenger. A second control device is located for use by the driver of the vehicle to selectively prohibit control of the first electromechanical actuator by the passenger.
The conventional vehicle also includes a passenger window. A second electromechanical actuator is provided to facilitate opening and closing of the passenger window. A third control device is provided within the vehicle to facilitate operation of the second electromechanical actuator by a passenger within the vehicle, and thus to facilitate control of the passenger window by the passenger. A fourth control device is located for use by the driver of the vehicle to selectively prohibit control of the electromechanical actuator by the passenger.
In one particular conventional example, with reference to FIG. 7, a control device 235 is provided within a control panel 250 which is attached to the dashboard of a conventional Honda® Odyssey® minivan. The control panel 250 is provided at a location upon the dashboard which is accessible to a driver of the minivan. In addition to the control device 235, the control panel 250 is shown to provide a sunroof control device 260, a foot pedal control device 262, and door control devices 264 and 266 which selectively facilitate a driver's control of power door actuators associated with rear sliding passenger doors of the van.
The control device 235 is shown to comprise a slide switch and is moveable between two positions, namely an “on” position (shown in FIG. 7) and an “off” position. A brightly colored (i.e., red) marking 245 is provided adjacent to the control device 235 such that, when, and only when, the control device 235 is in the on position, the marking 245 is uncovered so that a driver of the minivan can identify, upon quickly glancing at the control device 235, whether the control device 235 is in the on or off position.
When the control device 235 is in the on position, rear interior door handles can be used by passengers to effect operation of the power door actuators to open and close the rear sliding doors of the van. However, when the control device 235 is in the off position, movement of the rear interior door handles does not result in operation of the power door actuators associated with the rear sliding doors of the van. Regardless of whether the control device 235 is in the on position or the off position, the driver can use the door control devices 264 and 266 to facilitate operation of the power door actuators associated with the rear sliding doors of the van.
Each of the rear sliding doors of the conventional Honda® Odyssey® minivan also includes a mechanical toggle-type switch which is attached to the edge of the rear sliding door. The switch can be manually adjusted in order to enable, or alternatively disable, use by a passenger of that door's interior handle to facilitate manual or powered (i.e., involving one of the power door actuators) opening of the rear sliding door by the passenger.
The conventional Honda® Odyssey® minivan also includes rear windows provided in the sliding doors and which are associated with power window actuators. Those power window actuators are selectively controllable by window control devices which are attached to the rear sliding doors. A switch attached to the driver's door enables the driver to selectively prevent the window control devices, and thus the rear-seated passengers, from opening and closing the rear windows.